Congratulations to Zimbabwe for winning the final of tri series. It was a thumping victory...

Losing the first match against this crap SA team cost us one extra match practice. We have only ourselves to blame for that. We over estimated them too much and bowled crap.

Quote:

Post Match Presentation:

Man of the match Brendan Taylor: It's a huge feeling to beat a quality team. It shows us that we are heading in the right direction and we've been putting in the hard yards. We know we are a team that needs to put in a bit extra and we did.

Man of the SeriesHamilton Masakadza: I am ecstatic, over the moon. All the hard work is paying off. We just kept thinking hang in there and stay calm. BT and I knew the longer we stayed together, the closer we would get to the total.

Hashim Amla: From the start we had, 146 was a good defendable score. It's quite disappointing but hats off to Zimbabwe, they deserved to win. We knew what the squad for Sri Lanka will be, this is a good indicator to selectors. It was challenging, similar to what we could expect in Sri Lanka, a worthy exercise and hopefully we walk away with some hard lessons learnt.

Zimbabwe are in the same group as South Africa in the World T20. They beat them twice in this tournament, although bear in mind that South Africa were without many of their first choice players.

Memories of August last year when Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh in their Test comeback. Zimbabwe's players embark on a lap of honour with their flag and the crowd runs onto the field with them. This is not a pitch invasion, they are hugging their players in joy and quickly clear out. It's a beautiful day to be in Harare and a special time to be one of the Zimbabwean XI. This is what cricket is about. Enjoy!

I think ZIM are becoming a force at home. They destroyed India and Sri Lanka A teams in 2010 when they were still in the Test cricket wilderness. They are no longer the pushovers we would crush 4-1 home and away.

Originally Posted by al Furqaan
I think ZIM are becoming a force at home. They destroyed India and Sri Lanka A teams in 2010 when they were still in the Test cricket wilderness. They are no longer the pushovers we would crush 4-1 home and away.

indeed. They should play more tests though, We should invite them for a series in Dhaka(Test Series).

Originally Posted by al Furqaan
I think ZIM are becoming a force at home. They destroyed India and Sri Lanka A teams in 2010 when they were still in the Test cricket wilderness. They are no longer the pushovers we would crush 4-1 home and away.

There is no doubt that they look a much more improved team, specially at home. But I think they still lack depth, like in this series, if Masakadza would fail, they could look totally different.

Originally Posted by BANFAN
There is no doubt that they look a much more improved team, specially at home. But I think they still lack depth, like in this series, if Masakadza would fail, they could look totally different.

Nonetheless, They still have the vast experience of B. Taylor, E. Chigumbura and Prosper Utseya and Ray Price. I wish T. Taibu would return to the lineup, Taibu is vastly talented.

Originally Posted by Zeeshan
Anyone can play that game. Sehwag was missing from Asia Cup. What ifs...what ifs...jodir kotha nodite bhai.

The argument ASSUMES if a stronger side came, they'd win. Why assume that? A stronger side - although has higher probability of winning- does not mean they won't lose any given day.

So by that logic, why bother watching a cricket match? Just look at stats of probability of a team winning and go to bed.

Don't be a buzzkill.

It wasnt one player missing.... Kallis, Smith, Devilliets, Steyn, Botha and at least a couple others. So that's top three in the batting order and leagues apart in quality from the guys who played in top order, except Levi, Duminy ... That makes a whole lot of difference. -- thats why you can make reasoable assumption basing on facts that it wouod be tough to defeat this time. And their is a difference between intentionally Fielding a weaker side and unable to field a better player. India was unable.

Yes we have beaten this team with them in the team in Odis and we could have done so even in T20. ... That's the reason that I like to watch the match instead of hitting the bed after seeing the team list ....

Officially: it will be recorded as a victory against SA in unofficial T20
UN officially: every cricket expert, players and most fans will add this lejoor; SA rested most of their big names.

It doesn't take away anything from us, we can definitely celebrate, but we can't be ecstatic about it and be complacent with this victory, coz we know we have to play better to beat the full team. WI main team has shown it to us in WC, now none even talks about that WI series win loudly, although it's still officially recorded as a series win for BD. Shakib in his recent interview described that test series win as one of the best memories, but also didn't forget to put a side note on the absence of the key player. The day we beat the team with their best team that they can field, we have the right to be ecstatic with and feel a moment of greater pride in it.

Are you feeling as much happy as you would have felt if we would have beaten them with these guys in the team ??

Originally Posted by BANFAN
It wasnt one player missing.... Kallis, Smith, Devilliets, Steyn, Botha and at least a couple others. So that's top three in the batting order and leagues apart in quality from the guys who played in top order, except Levi, Duminy ... That makes a whole lot of difference. -- thats why you can make reasoable assumption basing on facts that it wouod be tough to defeat this time. And their is a difference between intentionally Fielding a weaker side and unable to field a better player. India was unable.

Yes we have beaten this team with them in the team in Odis and we could have done so even in T20. ... That's the reason that I like to watch the match instead of hitting the bed after seeing the team list ....

Officially: it will be recorded as a victory against SA in unofficial T20
UN officially: every cricket expert, players and most fans will add this lejoor; SA rested most of their big names.

It doesn't take away anything from us, we can definitely celebrate, but we can't be ecstatic about it and be complacent with this victory, coz we know we have to play better to beat the full team. WI main team has shown it to us in WC, now none even talks about that WI series win loudly, although it's still officially recorded as a series win for BD. Shakib in his recent interview described that test series win as one of the best memories, but also didn't forget to put a side note on the absence of the key player. The day we beat the team with their best team that they can field, we have the right to be ecstatic with and feel a moment of greater pride in it.

Are you feeling as much happy as you would have felt if we would have beaten them with these guys in the team ??

If you say yes..you are being a nut...!!

You are saying Kallis, Smith, Steyn, De Villiers and Botha (couple others I assume Morne Morkel, maybe Duminy in some matches) alright; now for Kallis, Steyn and Smith- these three guys are one of the best Test players and they care very little about T20 cricket unless there is something big in it- SA in future will hardly get Kallis, Steyn and Smith play T20s even if they all are fit and free. Maximum time SA T20 team will be without Kallis, Steyn and Smith and everytime people going to say SA fielding a weaker team? Now that leaves us with De Villiers in batting. I have no clue what one man De Villiers could change the course of batting in all games- yes maybe it's possible but not for granted. In spin department- how one man Botha could change the course of bowling Now Morne Morkel who showed some form only in IPL as per T20 cricket goes (now do SA rely so heavily on Morne Morkel that they lost because they missed Morne Morkel). The team that SA played here is more or less will be featuring in future T20s. Besides, more or less this is the team that played against New Zealand also.

Originally Posted by Kohli_Sox
You are saying Kallis, Smith, Steyn, De Villiers and Botha (couple others I assume Morne Morkel, maybe Duminy in some matches) alright; now for Kallis, Steyn and Smith- these three guys are one of the best Test players and they care very little about T20 cricket unless there is something big in it- SA in future will hardly get Kallis, Steyn and Smith play T20s even if they all are fit and free. Maximum time SA T20 team will be without Kallis, Steyn and Smith and everytime people going to say SA fielding a weaker team? Now that leaves us with De Villiers in batting. I have no clue what one man De Villiers could change the course of batting in all games- yes maybe it's possible but not for granted. In spin department- how one man Botha could change the course of bowling Now Morne Morkel who showed some form only in IPL as per T20 cricket goes (now do SA rely so heavily on Morne Morkel that they lost because they missed Morne Morkel). The team that SA played here is more or less will be featuring in future T20s. Besides, more or less this is the team that played against New Zealand also.

Please Check their records of T20 in comparison to the players who played in this series, less the players mentioned in my previous post, you are shedding their names off like the trees shed off leaves in Winter..

We can only exclude them, when they are no more picked by their board for T 20s...

Originally Posted by BANFAN
Please Check their records of T20 in comparison to the players who played in this series, less the players mentioned in my previous post, you are shedding their names off like the trees shed off leaves in Winter..

We can only exclude them, when they are no more picked by their board for T 20s...

You are missing the point. So Australia fields a weaker team because Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke aren't playing T20s??? England is weaker because Alistair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell, James Anderson aren't playing??? Most of the teams play without their top class Test/ODI players in T20s now a days

Originally Posted by Kohli_Sox
You are missing the point. So Australia fields a weaker team because Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke aren't playing T20s??? England is weaker because Alistair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell, James Anderson aren't playing??? Most of the teams play without their top class Test/ODI players in T20s now a days

You are missing the point, these SA players don't fall in that category... They are very much part of SA T20 team, but they have been rested ... You may not find Ricky, Clarke etc guys in Aus T20 team at all ... Pointing is no T20 player..

Originally Posted by BANFAN
You are missing the point, these SA players don't fall in that category... They are very much part of SA T20 team, but they have been rested ... You may not find Ricky, Clarke etc guys in Aus T20 team at all ... Pointing is no T20 player..

When is the last time Kallis, Smith and Steyn played T20 for SA national side? Let's take a look at the last series against NZ before Triangular series that SA fielded:

Now I like your name as spelled by you..."Zeeshan No Talk Mahmood" .. Appropriate

On Topic @ Kohli Sox;

The last match played by SA was on 30 March 2012 against India, so last time I saw them; they had Kallis, Botha, Morkel.... And A few others who didn't feature in this match. We know Smith, Ab and Steyn are permanent in the team. There was no Amla in that team too. So this team is 60-70% different/depleted than their actual team. So that doesn't allow me to be all gaga over this win and rightly so, even the team isn't over celebrating it.

Yes, win is win and we can't be unhappy with a win, whatever is the team. So I'm happy that we won... But don't like to go all gaga with the win...heyy we've beaten SA etc etc etc... I hope you get the point. You will see in the world cup, what team they field and how it's different than this team. If they field the same team and just with AB as you say, I will be happier with this one too. Till then I can disagree that this was the SA best team and wait....no probs.

Originally Posted by BANFAN
Now I like your name as spelled by you..."Zeeshan No Talk Mahmood" .. Appropriate

On Topic @ Kohli Sox;

The last match played by SA was on 30 March 2012 against India, so last time I saw them; they had Kallis, Botha, Morkel.... And A few others who didn't feature in this match. We know Smith, Ab and Steyn are permanent in the team. There was no Amla in that team too. So this team is 60-70% different/depleted than their actual team. So that doesn't allow me to be all gaga over this win and rightly so, even the team isn't over celebrating it.

Yes, win is win and we can't be unhappy with a win, whatever is the team. So I'm happy that we won... But don't like to go all gaga with the win...heyy we've beaten SA etc etc etc... I hope you get the point. You will see in the world cup, what team they field and how it's different than this team. If they field the same team and just with AB as you say, I will be happier with this one too. Till then I can disagree that this was the SA best team and wait....no probs.

The match against India was dedicated to Kallis for his outstanding contribution to SA right much like the one that Ntini had